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Book 






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16—47372-1 




RECOLLECTIONS 



OF A 



YOUNG SOLDIER 



DURING THE 



CRIMEAN WAR 



BY 



HARRY POWELL, 



LATE I3TH LIGHT DRAGOONS. 



OXFORD : 

PRINTED BY UFSTONE AND DOE, 15%, QUEEN STREE'J 



[876. 



RECOLLECTIONS 



OF A 



YOUNG SOLDIER 



DURING THE 



CRIMEAN WAR. 



BY 

HARRY POWELL, 

LATE I3TH LIGHT DRAGOONS. 



S **5#T-'J« > 



OXFORD : 

PRINTED BY UPSTONE AND DOE, 15^, QUEEN STREET. 



1876. 



3 50Fl 




3>^ 



Ob 



TO 



H.R.H. PRINCE LEOPOLD 



AND THE 



OFFICERS AND SURVIVORS 



SIX HUNDRED 



THIS LITTLE BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, 



BY THEIR OBEDIENT SERVANT, 



HARRY POWELL. 



s 



RECOLLECTIONS OF A YOUNG SOLDIER 

DURING THE 

CRIMEAN WAR. 



Your Royal Highness, 

You have most kindly and graciously promised 
to patronize my little pamphlet, and before I begin it 
I must beg to return your Royal Highness my sincere 
and grateful thanks for your kindness. I have had 
the great honour of speaking to you at the Rector of 
Exeter's. To my astonishment the Rector said to you, 
"one of the six hundred;" and you spoke to me about 
the banquet, and I told you about my old horse. 

I have been represented in the "Penny Illustrated" as 
being left dead on the battle field in the Valley of Death. 

Before saying one word of myself, I must say a few 
of my father. He served six years in the old 22nd 
Light Dragoons, twenty-one in the 13th Light Dra- 
goons, and three years in the 15th Hussars, all that 
time (30 years) in India. At that time the soldier 
counted three years for two. He was discharged as. a 
private at 1/1 1| a day pension. He was made a Mason in 
1824. I was born at Bangalore, in the East Indies, and 
I marched with the 13th to Madras in 1840, where my 
father volunteered into the 15th. The 13th lost a hun- 
dred men on that march besides women and children. I 
went back with the 15th to Bangalore, my father was 
camp color man ; after three years I returned to Madras 
and embarked on board the John Lyon. I was nearly 

a 2 



four months on board ship. On arriving in England, I 
went to see my brother and sister at Hounslow, and 
tried to get enlisted but failed, cried all the way back to 
London, tried again and succeeded in getting band pay, 
enlisting at Cahir. At an early age marched to Dublin, 
and have had many a good gallop over Phcenix Park ; 
from there to Longford, marched to Belturbert, where 
an accident of a serious nature happened to an officer, 
by name P. Smith, very nearly losing his right hand, of 
whom I shall have to speak further on. I took the lead- 
ing characters of a female in " She Stoops to Conquer," 
"The Irishman in London," " The Happy Man," "The 
Wags of Windsor," and a few other pieces. I will pass 
over my travels through England, Ireland and Scotland. 
I was present at the funeral of that great conqueror, the 
late Duke of Wellington. From Hounslow to Chobham, 
under His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge. 
From there to Birmingham, where we had the route for 
Dover, we were to have gone through France, a counter 
order came on the march for us to go to Hounslow and 
Hampton Court, finally we marched to Portsmouth, the 
men singing and as happy as kings. My troop embarked 
on the 8th of May, 1854, on board the good little ship the 
"Mary Ann," No. 42, the B troop on the "Negociator," the 
E on board the " Monarchy." I forget the name of the 
ship or ships that took the rest of the troops. Capt. Old- 
ham and Lieut. Montgomery on the first named vessel, 
Capt. Soames Jenyns and Lieut. Jervis on the second, 
Capt. Arthur Tremayne, Lieut. Percy Smith, Assistant 
Surgeon Armstrong, on the third, Colonel Doherty, 
Major Gore, Capt. Goad, Lieut. Goad, Cornet McLean, 
Chamberlin and staff officers on the other vessel 



or vessels. Captain Holden came on board our ship 
to bid us good bye ; a great many of his troop, the F, 
were transferred to the A, myself among the number. 
We sailed in company with The Negociator for a long 
time, songs passing alternately between the two ships ; 
we had a first-class singer on our ship by name T. 
Jenkins; towards evening we parted company and bid 
good bye ; the Captain of our ship, a gallant and brave 
old man-of-war's man, signaling and saying Nelson's 
celebrated words " England expects that every man this 
day will do his duty." Poor fellow, he did not live to 
give that signal in England again ; he died soon after 
arriving at Varna, to the great sorrow of the soldiers as 
well as the sailors, for he was beloved by both. 

Before parting we sounded walk, trot, gallop and 
charge. The next order was all hands splice the main 
brace. The first Sunday at sea we were going along 
with a good breeze, and all sails set, when Captain Old- 
ham, towards night, thought it was too fast for the 
horses. The captain of the ship altered sail, the ship 
gave a lurch on the starboard side, the ballast placed in 
the middle of the ship broke the boards nailed to the up- 
rights, the same being nailed to the outside instead of 
the in, the ballast rolled under the horses, threw them 
on their beam ends, the women commenced to cry, the 
men vigourously went to work ; the good little ship 
righted, and everything passed off all right. In 
entering the Dardanelles the main and foretop masts 
were broken as one would break a lucifer match; on 
arriving at Gallapoli we anchored nearly opposite the 
Montobello, a large man-of-war's-man ; their carpenters 
came on board our ship and worked hard till the masts 



were thoroughly repaired ; by the way, one of our men, 
by name Bonus, nick-named Bosh, in throwing the 
manure overboard, being half-seas over, prepared him- 
self to have a cooler ; he thought he could keep up with 
the ship, throws himself over board at the same time as 
the contents of the basket ; a life buoy was thrown out to 
him which he managed to catch ; he was left behind in 
a very short time, the ship was hauled to as soon as 
possible, a boat lowered and he was picked up. When 
brought on board he was as sober as a judge. We were 
towed through the Bosphorus by the London. We 
landed at Varna, after being 42 days at sea. I swam 
half the horses of the troop, after landing, which gave 
them a good washing and did them good. 

A force, consisting of two troops of the 8th Hussars, 
two troops of the 13th Light Dragoons, viz., B troop, 
Captain Soams Jenyns and Lieutenant Jervis, E troop, 
Captain Arthur Tremayne and Lieutenant Percy Smith, 
Assistant-surgeon Armstrong ; the other troops of the 
13th had not landed, the former went without tents. Lord 
Cardigan was the General in command. They marched 
from Devna to Bazargik, a large village, deserted, having 
been plundered both by Bashi Bazouks and Cossacks ; 
another halt was made at Karasi. I must here state 
that the object of the expedition being to discover 
whether the Russian army besieging Silistria had any 
detached parties about the country. The weather was 
very hot, the water bad, the country entirely deserted, 
very short of forage, and the horses suffered very 
much. From Karasi Captain A. Tremayne was sent 
out with fifty Turks to patrol over the whole source of 
the Danube into the Dobritcha, to feel for Cossacks 



supposed to have crossed the river. After the siege 
of Silistra was raised, they were out from i a.m. 
to 10 p.m. and saw nothing of the enemy. Lord 
Cardigan had 200 Turks under his command at Rassova. 
The river is very wide here. Saw Cossacks on the other 
side ; Lord Cardigan was rather cross at the unsoldier- 
like behaviour of the officers and men ; the facts of the 
case is this, the officers and men were very hungry, they 
tried to catch some pigs but did not succeed in doing so. 
Any one knows what a tractible animal that is, so the 
officers took out their revolvers, and as the pigs would not 
be caught they shot them, like wise men of the east. Not- 
withstanding the Brigadier's censure, he was glad to sup 
off little piggy that night. From there they marched to 
Silistria ; arrived a few days after the Russians had 
raised the siege ; found the town in a most deplorable 
state. The work called " Arab Tabia " was much 
damaged by the Russian fire ; the town a perfect wreck. 
They remained two or three days at Silistria. The main 
body of the Russians were in retreat. Now I am going to 
begin with another officer of the 13th, by name Lieut. 
Percy Smith, the same officer I introduced to your notice 
in Belturbert, in Ireland, and you must strongly bear in 
mind this officer had a crippled hand — his right hand. I 
shall have to speak of him further on. Lord Cardigan 
after receiving the different reports brought to him, 
and not hearing or seeing anything of the enemy, he 
made up his mind to go on himself the following 
morning, taking with him twenty men and a subaltern, 
that subaltern was Lieutenant Percy Smith who 
volunteered to go with the party. They started at 
day-break, marched some distance beyond Trajan's 



8 



Wall ; seeing no enemy, turned back to join the 
main body, halted at a deserted village to feed and 
water the horses. The order came to mount. Lieut. P. 
Smith found the horses so knocked up that he thought 
it prudent and right to report the same to Lord Cardigan. 
His Lordship looked the horses over, and told him he 
had better stay where he was with twelve of the worst of 
them, he would take the remainder with him, adding 
that he should come on the next morning, and appear 
between nine and ten. When Lord Cardigan left, Lieut. 
P. Smith took possession of the deserted Khan, that is a 
coffee house, or a sort of rough hotel, in the middle of 
the village ; made the horses fast round the yard, was 
about to close the gate and bar up the same when Lord 
Burghersh (Lord Raglan's senior Aide-de-Camp), who 
had been with Lord Cardigan in the reconnaissance, rode 
in, he was asked what was the matter, he answered, 
"My horse is so done up," Lord Cardigan had given 
him leave to remain with the other done up horses that 
night and rejoin his lordship next morning. The gates 
were then closed. The officer in command, viz., Lieut. P. 
Smith, 13th Light Dragoons, went round the building to 
see how it could be best defended in case of attack. 
After telling the men off to their different posts, in the 
event of an alarm, the men set to work to light a fire ; 
before it was well alight, the sentry reported hearing a 
drum in the distance. By this time it was pitch dark, 
the horses were so done up that it would be useless to 
try to escape. The Lieutenant posted the men at the 
places already chosen, and ordered them to put the fire 
out, and not even to whisper for the chance of remaining 
undiscovered. In a short time, however, the village was 



filled with mounted men of some kind or other ; a strong 
party rode up to the Khan and tried to get in ; they were 
very angry at the gate being closed ; some went away, 
while others formed across the gate. A fire was lighted 
in an open space not far off, men sitting round it. Lord 
Burgheish looked at them through his glasses and said, 
" It's all right, they are Turks." Another attempt was 
afterwards made to force the gate of the Khan. Two 
men had got up into the minaret of a small Mosque ; 
they could see from the latter into the yard, and would 
have been able to shoot all the horses. Lord Burg- 
hersh said it was madness to think of holding the 
Khan against so strong a force, he would go out and 
explain to the Turkish officer in command who they 
were. Lieutenant P. Smith insisted on going with him. 
They made their way to the fire. Neither officer at 
that time knew much of the Turkish language, and 
were only just able to explain they were English officers. 
Lord Burghersh wearing a cocked hat was recognised as 
a British officer, the other officer was taken to be a 
Russian. They cried out, " Russ ! Russ! " and separated 
him from Lord Burghersh, forcing him to sit some dis- 
tance off; a giant of a negro was placed over Lieutenant 
P. Smith with a drawn sword muttering, pointing to 
his schako "Russ." Lord Burghersh made another 
attempt to explain ; he forgot the Turkish word for 
Lieutenant, and made use of the word Captain, literally 
in Turkish, as I believe in Scripture, " the head 
of a hundred." " Not a hundred," several called out, 
" only twelve." This made matters worse ; the giant 
negro became very excited. Lord Burghersh was with 
the Turkish commanding officer. They brought him 



10 

bread and salt and a cup of coffee; he partook of 
a little, jumped up to take the remainder to his brother 
officer, but was prevented. Ominous sounds of drawing 
swords all round. Lord Burghersh refused to return 
to his seat, forced his way to his comrade and com- 
panion, and made another attempt to explain, this 
time more fortunate and successful ; bread and salt were 
then offered to both. Lieut. P. Smith's friend, the 
negro, ordered to return swords ; no doubt, that officer 
would not be ashamed to acknowledge, to his great 
relief. 

The following day, Lord Cardigan picked that detach- 
ment up, and marched to Rassova on the Danube, that 
was about six miles from the village in which the above 
occured. The Turks who came into the village were a 
regiment of Bashi Bazouks, about six hundred strong. 
Apparently only three of their officers belonged to the 
regulars, so it could not be expected their discipline was 
first-class, or anything bordering on it. The expedition 
remained two or three days at Silistria. The enemy on 
the opposite bank, that was the rear guard, the main body 
being in retreat, they marched to Schmula, where Omar 
Pacha was in command of a large Turkish force ; the 
Pacha lent tents which were very acceptable, after so many 
nights " al fresco ;" they marched back to Yani Bazar and 
Devna, reaching the latter place after travelling nearly 
all night through a tremendous thunder storm. The 
patrol was done by horses who had only been a few days 
out of the transport. In starting, the horses were 
burdened like pack horses, having to carry three days' 
forage, and three days' provision ; hence the sore backs. 
The men's health was good, except that many of them 



suffered from sore eyes from the hot weather and dust ; 
discipline all that could be wished. Lord Cardigan 
arrived at Devna in time to order dismiss to be sounded, 
on that wet and gloomy morning. 

The infantry, although on higher ground than us, lost 
a great many men. The only man I remember being 
buried of the Light Brigade at Devna, was a sergeant of 
the 17th Lancers, who was drowned, There was a 
beautiful bathing place at Devna, I was told, made by 
the Russians in 1829. At Devna Lord Lucan gave an 
order the trumpeters were not to have grey horses, re- 
marking at the time, "A trumpeter was of as much con- 
sequence as an officer." I am glad to know his Lordship 
is still alive, and perhaps will remember the order he 
gave, at the same time I must tell his Lordship he took 
one of the best horses in the regiment from me. I 
selected a mare nick-named Butcher, A 36, a good 
strong little animal, a runaway. I shall have to refer 
to her further on. From Devna we marched to 
Yani Bazar, where we encamped some time. There 
we had nothing but drill, sickness and death. I 
remember one week in particular, I sounded five of my 
own comrades to the grave and was borrowed by the 
17th to perform the same over one of their departed 
comrades, very distressing and depressing to the poor 
fellows in hospital. The doctor of the nth Hussars, by 
name Cross, like a sensible man, would not allow 
the mournful dirge to be sounded. Under Lord 
Cardigan we practised all manoeuvres and other duties 
he thought we might be called upon to do. One particu- 
lar and favourite movement of his Lordship's was the 
front line advancing and retiring, the second coming up, 



12 

the same as our heavier comrades in arms did at 
Balaklava. 

At last came the order for the Crimea ; to the great joy 
of officers and men. We had the order one evening, and 
marched next morning. I think I ought to say here that 
our camp was honoured by the presence of two 
English ladies, officers' wives, who shared the hardships, 
heat, &c, the same as the men, one I think of the 8th, 
the other the nth. I hope these ladies, if alive, which I 
trust they are, will forgive me for mentioning them. We 
marched back to Varna, the 13th embarked on board the 
Jason. Captain A. Tremayne's troop was the first 
cavalry soldiers landed at Eupatoria on the 14th of 
September, 1854; the next day the rest of the regiment 
disembarked, the horses were put into flat bottomed boats, 
the sailors could not get them quite up to shore, the men 
fully accoutred with a full amount of Ammunition, water 
bottles filled, and three days' cooked provisions. The 
boats being heavily laden, as I said before were not able 
to get to shore ; the horses were pushed or thrown into 
the water over the sides of the boats ; a man of ours, by 
name Kneller (before enlisting he was a conductor to a 
Buss in London), trying to throw his horse over into the 
sea, went over with the animal ; poor fellow, I thought he 
was gone for ever ; a sailor on board a man of war jumped 
in after him and brought him up, he was taken on board 
and attended to and appeared all right the next morning. 
His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge on shore 
seeing what had happened insisted on the horses being 
brought to land. I hope if His Royal Highness conde- 
scends to read this he will remember the circumstances of 
the 15th. The 16th, two guns of the I troop R.H.A., a 



13 

company of the Infantry and all the Cavalry who had 
landed, the whole under Lord Cardigan, went out recon- 
noitring to see if we could find the enemy, Lord Cardigan 
formed the men up on the march and told them what to 
do in case we met them. We went a long way, the In- 
fantry had to wade and make the best of their way through 
the salt lakes which abounded there. His Lordship took 
us on till evening; when "Halt" sounded he gave the 
order for the men to have their evening meal. Many of 
them to my knowledge had already eaten all they landed 
with. After a little rest for the horses we returned to old 
Fort Eupatoria where we bivouacked that night. I was 
with his Lordship that day; Captain Oldham had a 
great difficulty in rousing up the Sergeant who was left 
behind, I forget his name, but he came from the 3rd 
Light Dragoons to us in Birmingham, nothing like some 
brave and weather beaten soldiers who came from that 
distinguished regiment. On the 18th towards evening 
the enemy made their appearance, Lord Cardigan's 
Brigade Major came galloping along the lines shouting 
"Turn out! Turn out!" which we did in a short time; 
Adjutant Irwin of the 13th gave us credit for the short 
time we turned out in, and said " well done men." The 
enemy set fire to several hay and corn stacks, saw we 
were ready for them, and thought it prudent to remain 
at a distance. The Reveille sounded very early the 
next morning; the Light Brigade under their gallant 
leader, and the I troop of Artillery, formed the advance 
of the whole of the army. In the afternoon, after a long 
and hard ride, we came up with the Russians, rather, I 
ought to say, they faced us at Bulganak. Officers and 
men so thirsty, the former offering brandy for water, 



H 

which was very scarce both for man and horse. We 
came to a halt. The right and left troops of my regiment 
went out skirmishing; I am told also a troop of the nth, 
Adjutant Irwin of the 13th commanded the line of skir- 
mishers of his regiment, I was with him whilst out skir- 
mishing. Up gallops the brave and daring Capt. Nolan, 
and says to Adjutant Irwin in my hearing " the Russians 
are dam'd bad shots " ; the bullets were then flying over 
us, we were quite close to each other ; Capt. Nolan, as 
cool as a cucumber, dismounted, looks round his horse, 
remounts and rejoins Lord Raglan. My brother trumpe- 
ter, by name Dick Davis, rode over to me and asked me if 
I had had a shot, I said " no," I thought they were not 
near enough. He told me that he had had several. I 
then thought it was time for me to get my pistol ready ; 
Adjutant Irwin seeing this asked me what I was doing 
with that and ordered me to put it away, remarking I 
shall want you to sound; soon after I sounded " skirm- 
ishers in." When we formed up with the reserve 
we had to sit and be fired into by the Russian Artillery ; 
our I troop opened fire, and the very first shot was 
effective, the I troop was on the right of the line com- 
manded by Captain Maude, and that officer can corro- 
borate what I am going to state ; a shell came and burst 
into a grey horse immediately in front of me, the 
horse was of course killed, the rider not the least 
hurt ; his name was James Shaw, the man on the left 
wounded in the ankle, Captain Maude remarking at the 
time it was most extraordinary; that horse in England 
belonged to the Trumpet Major. Sergeant Priestley of 
the 13th lost his foot, Robert Wynn had his horse shot 
in returning, the same shot nearly hitting Lieutenant P. 



J 5 

Smith who had a narrow escape. Lord Cardigan was in 
a very bad humour that night; just before being dis- 
mounted he told Colonel Douglas who commanded the 
nth he would put him under arrest for answering him ; 
the fact was his Lordship wanted to charge the enemy 
but was not allowed to do so. 

The next day, the 20th, the great and glorious victory 
of the battle of the Alma. A grand and military sight as 
that was, as the troops advanced, I never saw, and 
never shall again; a bright sunny morning, bayonets 
fixed, swords drawn, the sun shining down on both, and 
victory shone in the men's faces. The cavalry were after- 
wards dismounted, part of the time waiting for orders ; 
at last the order came to mount and gallop up to the 
front. In going through the Alma our poor horses 
wanted to stop to drink but were not allowed to do. so, but 
were spurred through and urged to the heights of Alma, 
our own men and the enemy laying dead and dying as we 
passed them on the field. Arrived on the heights, a 
great shout proclaimed the battle won, and ours ! The 
Russian cavalry with some guns formed up in the dis- 
tance, facing us, giving us a few parting shots without 
doing us any damage. Adjutant Irwin would not allow 
us to shout till after we had pursued the enemy, then he 
said "now men, you can shout!" The next morning, 
before breakfast I went over the battlefield, which is 
beyond my powers of description, and I believe every 
one else ; it must be seen, it cannot thoroughly be des- 
cribed. That morning, the muster roll was called, 
Adjutant Irwin was the officer who commenced calling 
it ; he was suddenly taken ill and had to hand it over to 
another officer, this would have been an addition to Miss 



i6 

Thompson's roll call, a brave officer taken suddenly . ill ! 
that officer died, I believe, from sheer exhaustion, and 
the jolting of the horrid vehicles that were had for the sick; 
he died before he could be got on board ship. Cornet 
McLean was on board the same vessel very ill, and saw 
the last of an officer who had taught him his drill, and 
one whom he highly honoured and respected. I will tell 
this in particular to the survivors of the 17th that 
officer came from their regiment to the 13th in Cahir, 
in Ireland. I have also been asked what became of 
Lieutenant Colonel Lawrenson. After the Alma he could 
scarcely sit on his horse although England never pro- 
duced a more perfect figure on a horse than he was, and 
also a first-class rider, which all that knew him will 
admit. His horse was led down by a dismounted man 
to board ship. I am glad to say he recovered. I called 
to see him in London, he was out of town. I have not 
seen him for more than 20 years. After burying the 
dead and having a little rest we marched towards 
Sebastopol, the Greys landing at a place, one or two 
days march from the Alma ; horses and men looking as 
clean as if they were going to a review in Hyde Park, 
they were greatly cheered ; we poor dirty and ragged lot 
coming up showed a marked contrast in our appearance, 
however we had seen a little service. On the 24th or 25th, 
I will not be sure which, but that is immaterial, the 
march of the army was led by the Artillery of the first 
division, Captain Maude, I troop, R.H.A., had the 
honour of being in advance. Their route lay through a 
forest, and after passing on some miles, finding them- 
selves unsupported by cavalry, they hesitated, and the 
same was soon extended to the troops which came next 



i7 

in the route, the road being narrow. At this juncture 
Lord Raglan and Quarter- Master General Airey overtook 
them , Lord Raglan demanding with some severity why they 
had not proceeded according to orders he had personally 
given a short time previously, as they passed him on 
the road before entering that portion of the wood, his 
Lordship rode smartly on and desired the troop to follow. 
After they had advanced about three miles, the Com- 
mander-in-Chief galloped back with great speed and 
excitement in quest of the cavalry, some of whom 
coming up, viz. the 8th Hussars, were ordered to the 
front ; soon after some of the Greys came up and re- 
mained by the guns of the I Troop, R*.H.A., in a bend of 
the road leading to an open space that skirted the wood, 
and through that space a mass of about 15,000 Russians 
were marching. Lord Raglan ordered the troop of 
Horse Artillery to advance at a gallop, which movement 
was executed in a splendid and most brilliant manner, 
and came into action on the open space ; opened fire on 
the Russians with round shot and tincase, causing the 
retreat of the enemy, which became a complete rout, 
leaving their arms and baggage on the road. The troop 
limbered up to the front and pursued, supported by the 
8th Hussars, and the Greys coming up with the 
Russians at a bend of the road leading into another 
wood, they made a stand, formed and gave the troop of 
artillery a family or parting shot at a distance of 200 
yards ; not a man or horse was hit, as they fired high, 
even the twigs on the top of the hedge on either side of 
the road, were cut level by the Russian fire. The two 
leading guns again came into action front and plied them 
with tincase, during which time the Russians took shelter 

B 



i8 



in the wood. The Greys dismounting right and left of 
threes, taking their carbines followed the enemy into the 
wood and did good execution. The guns were again 
limbered up to the front and advanced to the extreme 
end of the road leading into the valley on the road to 
Bagstche Seria, after remaining there some time, limber- 
ed up and retired on Mackenzie's Farm, the cavalry 
supporting. The cavalry stragglers of the enemy gal- 
loped across the plain as fast as their horses could put 
legs to the ground. After the excitement was over, and 
matters talked over, it was given in by all that it was a 
lucky thing Captain Maude halted the troop in the wood, 
notwithstanding the answer of Lord Raglan, who it was 
said agreed to it himself as to the family shot that was 
sent into the troop afterwards ; the gunners were in the 
act of dismounting, the balls passed over their heads, the 
Captain could not have been more than one hundred 
yards from them when they fired, and had a most provi- 
dential escape as he remained mounted. I am happy to 
relate that that officer is still alive, also Mr. Norton, who 
will be able to confirm what I have written about the 
gallant I troop of Artillery. After looking round Mac- 
kenzie's farm, the men trying to catch some pigs, and 
looking out for anything in the way of something to 
eat and drink, we marched down to the banks of the 
Tchernaya ; on the road officers clothing strewn about, 
Arab Bogies upset. We then saw the complete run 
away affair it must have been. Our poor comrades 
of the Infantry, must have been very tired that night as 
they had a very long and hard march of it. We were 
tired enough riding, how must it have been for those 
walking ? Lord Cardigan sat by the fires of the A troop 



19 

13th Light Dragoons, before his own people came up ; 
from him we heard that Prince Menschikoff's carriage had 
had a narrow escape. Next morning, early, the Light 
Brigade commanded of course by their gallant leader, 
were ordered in pursuit of a Russian convoy escaping into 
Sebastopol. Lord Cardigan called out for a trumpeter ; 
he never had one specially told off to him, but had the 
first he could get ; I was the first out, "trot" sounded, the 
troops went at a quick pace, Lord Cardigan leading the 
way, some of the horses ready to fall. His Lordship, 
always well mounted, was a longdistance in front of the 
troops. An officer came galloping up to him and re- 
minded him of the danger of his own position; he merely 
turned his head, took no notice, and kept the troops at it 
till he saw it was useless going any further ; ordered 
"halt" to be sounded, sent his Brigade Major a little 
further on to see if he could see anything. In coming 
back the ships were safely anchored in Balaklava har- 
bour, which had been taken by our gallant Tars. All this 
time we were without tents, and only had what we 
landed with. The 13th had an oil skin given to them by 
their Senior Colonel, which was very useful, as it kept 
them from the damp ground. While at Balaklava we had 
several turns out and reconnaissances ; sometimes, just as 
we were going to dinner "turn out! turn out!" pots and 
pans, dinner &c, all left; when we got back, perhaps 
have to move to fresh ground, consequently see nothing 
more of the dinner ; on one occasion, the A Troop went 
out to reconnoitre, Capt. Oldham and Lieut. Montgomery 
in charge ; we went a long distance on the Woronzoff 
Road : Captain Oldham ordered us into a secluded little 

place, where we had to jump our horses over a ditch; half 

b 2 



20 

the men were ordered to unbridle and feed their horses, 
the men partaking of food at the same time, the other half 
doing so after them. I unfortunately that morning left 
mine and my brother's ration behind, consequently we 
had nothing to eat, and even when we got back the mess 
tin was pork minus ; all the pity I had was ' served you 
right, as you ought to have taken it with you.' 

It was a wonder we were not all taken prisoners when 
feeding our horses that day, we were in a most helpless 
state of defence, and no possibility of getting away. We 
went the same road another day but we were not to be 
caught a second time; we saw the enemy on the look out 
for us. Another day the same troop under the same 
officers, in the valley which was afterwards called the 'val- 
ley of death,' Serjeant H. Alderson was sent out and made 
to go rather further than he would have chosen to, and the 
Cossacks being hid from view, pounced down upon him 
and took him prisoner. I think if he could have wheeled 
sharply round and galloped back to the troop he might 
have saved himself, but he was a long way off, too far 
for a single soldier. He never saw any more of the 
Crimean War so perhaps it was lucky for him. Lord 
Cardigan heard the matter talked over by the men ; he 
wanted to get at the bottom of it, but could not. The 
country round and in Balaklava was lovely when we first 
arrived ; grapes in abundance : we used to eat a tre- 
mendous quantity as long as we could get them, the 
officers thought they would make us ill, thank God, I 
never suffered one day's illness there, nor all the time 
I was in the Crimea, Turkey, and at Scutari. 

I will now hasten on to the ever memorable 25th of 
October, 1854. Both brigades turned out very early that 



21 



morning. The I troop, always in front, were ordered up 
under the brow of the hill, near the Turkish redoubt. 
The guns were covered by the 13th Light Dragoons, we 
had not been there long, before Captain Maude was 
seriously wounded. Lieut. P. Smith was then acting 
Adjutant, he at that time was near the right, of the right 
troop ; he said, " There goes poor Maude," thinking he 
was killed, as many more of us did. During the time 
the firing was going on between the artillerly, we had to 
sit quietly on our horses; Lieut. P. Smith telling the men 
to sit steady and not bob their heads about. That officer 
may forget what he said, but I do not. The Turks sud- 
denly gave up the redoubt, we retired at a walk, the 
enemy peppering into us. Lieut. Goad was wounded 
about that time and I believe lost his horse; Col. Doherty 
was out then, but I did not see him afterwards. In re- 
turning I could see many of the Heavies had been 
seriously wounded, the shots that went over us must have 
gone into them. The Heavies afterwards occupied the 
ground our tents were pitched on ; in the morning, we 
retired to the rear of them. We sent skirmishers 
out, however they were called in, we quietly looking 
on and waiting the result of the attack on Bala- 
klava. A large Russian force of Cavalry rushed down on 
the thin red line of the Infantry ; not one of them flinched, 
nor a shot from them, till the enemy were close to them, 
and sent them wheeling to the right. They then charged 
the Heavy Brigade, the Heavies met them and executed 
the same movements we had practised in Turkey. The 
Turks thought it was all over, and called out to us to go 
and help them, they little understood what was going on, 
and British courage. The next line advances ; a regular 



22 



sword to sword encounter. The Russian Cavalry had 
had enough of it, they wheeled round and made their way 
back as fast as they could, being accommodated with as 
much fire as could be brought to bear upon them, and 
there is no doubt they had it hot. Lord Cardigan said 
the Heavies had the advantage of us, little dreaming of 
what was to follow. After some little time we were 
moved down into the valley waiting for orders and 
the next move. Down came the daring and brave 
Captain Nolan with an order from Lord Raglan ; 
Lord Lucan then was on the right of the line, con- 
sequently the A troop would be near him. I be- 
longed to that troop and distinctly heard the order 
given ; it ran thus, — The Light Brigade will charge and 
take those guns, pointing at the same time, so there 
could be no mistake ; and supported by French Cavalry 
on the left, the English Infantry on the right. To my 
mind Lord Lucan seemed to hesitate. Capt. Nolan said, 
" There are the guns, and it's your duty to take them." 
Lord Cardigan was called and consulted with ; the con- 
versation of course I did not hear. His Lordship placed 
himself in the centre of the line, that would be between or 
rather in advance of the 17th and 13th, and gave the order 
to advance. I never heard a sound of any sort, and many 
who were nearer to his Lordship, say the same as myself. 
Captain Nolan, poor brave officer, was the first shot ; 
when I first saw him he had his hands thrown up, and 
seemed to me to be wounded in the chest ; one of our 
farriers remained with him ; he rode in a forage cap, and 
I believe a trooper of the 13th, who had some men and 
horses on Lord Raglan's staff. The right troop of the 
13th suffered more than the others from the rifle balls 



23 

fired from our right. Going down, Captain Oldham, 
the senior officer of the 13th, at that time rode a very 
fine grey horse ; both were killed, being blown to 
pieces. Lieutenant Montgomery of the same troop was 
killed also ; Captain Goad was killed, whose brother 
was wounded in the morning. Lieutenant P. Smith 
was the only officer who came out without having lost 
his horse ; he rode in that charge without being able to 
draw his sword. I had a brother who lost his leg, and was 
taken prisoner, and afterwards died at Semphoropol. I re- 
ceived a letter from him stating how very kind the Rus- 
sians had been to him, and how well he had been attended 
to by the sisters of mercy; his name W. Baynton. I had 
a very narrow escape, a ball hitting the right top button 
of my jacket which glanced it off, and cut the jacket 
down as if it had been done with a sharp knife, and 
slightly grazing my throat; my horse was shot in the off 
fore leg in the upper part ; however she managed to go 
down with me and carry me out. 

In coming out of the charge I saw Lord Cardigan 
wave his sword to the right, and heard him say, " I am 
so very sorry for the Light Brigade, but this has not been 
one of my wild tricks." I think every officer and soldier 
must acknowledge he did his duty most bravely. After 
being rested a little, we were ordered to mount and muster 
to see how many there were able to mount. I was told 
by Corporal Nagle the muster was twenty-seven out of 
a hundred and three, but that seems rather difficult to get 
at. Regimental Sergeant Major Gardner ordered me to 
mount, not then knowing my mare was wounded I tried 
to move her one pace forward, and found she could 
not move. I did not know till then that she was 



2 4 

wounded in going down. Being kept on the move kept 
her warm but when she got cold that accounted for 
her not being able to move. I never rode that mare 
again, I had another given me the next morning ; that 
same horse that I rode down, was many years after- 
wards presented to Her Most Gracious Majesty by 
Lieutenant-Colonel McLean. Before leaving this ever 
memorable day, I must ask T. M. Joy, one or two 
questions ; the first is, was he Lord Lucan's trumpeter 
that day ? the next, Did his Lordship go down into 
the charge ? If his lordship did not, I feel sure he 
would not have left his lordship. William Brittan of 
the 17th was mortally wounded, and carried out of the 
field dying ; William Howarth, of the 13th was killed, 
the other three trumpeters escaped. The 4th Light and 
nth Hussars formed the second line, the 8th Hussars 
the third, the guns were not spiked. I have lately seen 
Miss Thomson's picture on Balaklava; the chesnut horse 
of the nth looks as if it had just been brought out of Her 
Majesty's stables. It must have been a most extraor- 
dinary bullet that took the boot off, and left the foot 
unhurt. The boy trumpeter could not have been present, 
as there were no boy trumpeters in the Light Brigade, 
they were all full trumpeters, and therefore could not have 
been boys, all young men from the band had to join the 
ranks ; this can be proved by the War Office ; and many 
officers who were present, of different regiments, have ex- 
pressed the same to me as I here state. I am afraid that 
clever young artist has been imposed upon in the whole 
representation of the picture. On the night of the 26th, 
when we were all laid down in our tents, a furious 
stampede of horses was heard galloping across the plain, 



2 5 

a tremendous cannonading took place, the whole camp 
was alarmed. " Turn out ! turn out ! " The enemy are 
on us and we turned out as soon as we could. Waited 
some time and could not hear any particulars ; were 
ordered not to take our accoutrements off. Found out in 
the morning a whole Russian picket had broken loose from 
their riders, and an old friend of mine, by name Willsden, 
of the 4th Light, tells me a horse of theirs, named 
Donkey, was the cause of the picket breaking loose, and 
leading them into our camp, that animal had been taken 
by the Russians. The horses were very acceptable, and 
eventually were turned over to the Artillery. Soon after 
we marched up to the front to the heights of Sebastopol, 
close to Inkerman. The Artillery used to come into our 
tents and we used to have a chat together ; they told us 
there was a very weak point close by. On the 4th I went 
through the French camp with a Corporal of ours, by 
name Nagle, who could talk French like a native. The 
French seemed to be expecting something; they were all 
busy making and drinking coffee, and seemed as happy as 
possible. "Bone English," " bone France," passed be- 
tween us, and we had a glass or so together in the usual 
French style. I speak from experience, they are the jolliest 
and merriest comrades in arms on the face of the earth. 
Many and many a glass I have had with them on the 
French Hill at Balaklava, commanded by General Bosquet. 
Early on the morning of the 5th, we were aroused by 
hearing firing, the Cavalry turned out, and Lord George 
Paget had the command, Lord Cardigan not having 
arrived at that time. Lord George took us up under fire, 
and several of the 17th were killed; I don't think we lost 
a man. Joe Gammage's horse fell down into a hole that 



26 

had been filled up, he must have thought at first his 
horse was shot ; we had a laugh over it. Lord Cardigan 
came up and ordered retire. The French Zouaves came 
up at last and turned the tide. His Royal Highness the 
Duke of Cambridge rode my original grey mare that day 
after he had lost his own. What a terrible and sad day 
it must have been for his Royal Highness to lose most 
of his famed officers and fine Guards, they having suffered 
so terribly. Next came the great storm of the 14th, all the 
tents were blown down, excepting the one I had the good 
fortune to be in ; we put our sword scabbards in for tent 
pegs, and each man took it in turn to stand to the pole. 
We had fourteen horses die that night from starvation and 
the weather, and it was dreadful to see them eating each 
other's manes and tails off. We were ordered to Bala- 
klava, where we stayed the winter, comparatively speak- 
ing, very comfortable. We had vidette and other duties 
to do, and bring the sick down from the front. At last 
Sebastopol was taken ; the 13th went up on duty that 
morning, I mean after it was evacuated, to keep the 
ground and prevent any of the French and English taking 
anything from Sebastopol beyond where they were 
placed, much to the annoyance of both French and 
Engish ; however, it was not our men's fault, as both 
Generals gave the orders. Colonel Doherty rode into 
the Redan ; I was with him there, and saw the dreadful 
havoc, destruction and loss of life ; officers urging the 
men to work away, burying them all together, friends 
and foes, such is the horrors of war. Some time after 
this the C Troop of Artillery, the 4th Light Dragoons, 
6th Carabineers, 12th Lancers and 13th Light Dra- 
goons, under Lord George Paget, landed at Eupatoria; 



2 7 

General d'Allonville was there with a large force 
of French Cavalry and Horse Artillery. We went out 
several times, often taking and capturing a great quantity 
of cattle. On one particular occasion, at a place about 
two days' march from Eupatoria, on the road to Baghtch- 
iserai, we saw General d'Allonville, who commanded 
the whole force, draw up with his staff on the brow of a 
small hill in front of us. Presently Captain Keith, of the 
4th Light Dragoons, came with an order for the English 
Horse Artillery to advance with the 12th Lancers as a 
support. Captain Thomas halted his Troop at the foot 
of the hill alluded to, and rode up it himself; on reaching 
General d'Allonville he found the General wished him to 
come into action against a Battery of Russian guns 
waiting for us on the other side of a small stream, about 
half-a-mile off. Captain Thomas examined the guns 
with his glasses, and saw they were three heavy Russian 
eighteen-pounders, while his own were only nine's ; he 
then looked over the ground, and fortunately for him saw 
a little square peg driven into the ground close to where 
he was ; he examined more closely, and found others at 
regular distances between himself and the enemy. He 
said nothing about it, but instead of bringing his troops 
into action on the crest of the hill as he had been told, he. 
galloped down as hard as he could till he got within four 
hundred yards of the enemy, fired two rounds from all 
his guns, limbered up and galloped back over the crest of 
the hill. He lost neither man nor horse, while he dis- 
mounted one Russian gun and damaged another, besides 
killing several men and horses. The Russian guns as 
he supposed were already laid for the ranges marked by the 
little pegs, consequently they all missed him. On the other 



28 



hand the 12th Lancers formed up on the crest of the hill 
and had one, if not more, shells dropped exactly into 
them. Turkish Cavalry were present. I cannot help re- 
ferring here in justice to two officers now living; the one 
for his honourable sense of right to his brother officer, 
the other not being justly used for his bravery and past 
services. An order came to the commanding Officers of 
regiments to send in the name of an officer, non- 
commissioned or private, for the legion of honour. 
Captain S. Jenyns and Captain A. Tremayne, to their 
credit, wished Captain Percy Smith to be recommended 
instead of either of themselves, they having already 
received the rank of Brevet Major. The Commanding 
Officer thought that Captain Smith had already been 
amply rewarded by getting a Troop, and would not send 
in the name of the Officer above-mentioned, whereupon 
Captain Tremayne allowed his name to be sent in. 
The same thing would have happened again in Ireland, 
if it had not been for Captain Tremayne. Both Officers 
are still alive, also another, Captain Gardner, who can 
testify to the truth of what I write. The nights on our 
expeditions were cold ; on one particular occasion we 
were on the march, on Sunday ; the Rev. Hewlett was 
anxious to have church service, but found it almost 
impossible, gave it up and rode about with the men, 
facing all dangers, and talking to officers and men. On 
another occasion the same Rev. gentleman came up to 
church parade on the sands of Eupatoria riding a Cossack 
horse, he persevered and read part of the service mounted, 
but the weather being so strong and rough we could not 
hear a word he said, so he asked the Commanding Officer 
to dismiss the parade ; that gentleman, I know, I am 



29 

happy to say, is still alive. Winter setting in, the 13th 
embarked on board the Etna, and had a very rough 
passage. The same night the 12th Lancers were 
regularly washed away, they were encamped so close 
to the sea. At Scutari I joined the ranks, and was 
made a full Corporal the same night into the D 
Troop, commanded by Captain Jervis. We were 
burnt out at Scutari, the building being destroyed 
in a very short time, we lost all our clothes and 
most of our accoutrements, this happened on the 2nd 
of February ; afterwards peace was proclaimed. The 4th 
and 13th embarked on board the Assistance, a very bad 
vessel, but we had fine weather, she broke down near 
the Bay of Biscay, run into some fishing smacks on the 
coast, of Spain in broad daylight; this was the fault of the 
man on the look out ; one of the 13th who had been hav- 
ing a pipe below nearly set fire to the ship ; we arrived 
safely at Portsmouth, where Colonel Doherty came to 
see us, he was well received by all the men as he was 
so kind-hearted to them. We were taken across to 
Gosport in a small steamer, where Her Most Gracious 
Majesty inspected us and very anxiously enquired for 
the senior officer who had served with the regiment, 
which was Captain Smith, who was left ill on board the 
"Assistance." Major Holden came home with us, also 
Capt. Jervis. We were ordered to Cork, the 4th Light 
to Brighton, we all had furloughs granted to us. 
I had a sister living in service at Brighton with Lady 
Caroline Turnor, of Stoke Rochford, that lady very 
kindly gave me an invitation to go to Brighton for a 
week and stay at her house, I accepted her kind offer ; 
on arriving there I was treated with the greatest kind- 



30 

ness ; that lady even shook hands with me, and having a 
son about to go to college I had the offer of being his 
servant. When I returned from Brighton the Command- 
ing Officer had made a sort of lottery of the decorations 
given to the regiment by the French : one of the Trum- 
peters, by name R. Davis, was lucky enough to draw or 
win one, one or two of the other men who had the decora- 
tion were not actually even under arms that day, there- 
fore could not have been in the charge, someone else 
drew for me in my absence, with leave. My friends all 
persuaded me to leave the army, which I did, and gave 
£20 for my discharge at Cahir, the very place I enlisted 
at. I was 11 years and 174 days in the 13th, and 2 years 
besides that on band pay ; I only got credit for 8 years, 
as boy's service did not count in those days. Through 
the kindness of Col. Barnett and Capt. Hayes of the 12th 
Royal Lancers, I have been appointed Trumpet Major of 
the O.Y.C., and to the officers and men of that regiment 
I return my sincere thanks for their kindness to me at 
Thame; many of them asked me for my song, so I 
publish it with this. To the officers of my old regiment 
whom I have had the great pleasure of seeing and 
shaking hands with lately, I feel deeply grateful for 
their great kindness to me, trusting my little history 
will amuse them and that they will find it quite correct 
in all particulars. To Your Royal Highness, and Mr. 
Collins words cannot express what I feel in your great 
condescension to me. 

I have the honor to remain, 

Your Royal Highness's most humble 
and obedient servant, 

HARRY POWELL, 

Late 13th Light Dragoons, T.M.O.Y.C. 



SONG. 

When I was an infant, gossip would say, 

I'd when older be a soldier ; 

Rattles and toys I'd throw them away 

Unless it was gun or sabre. 

When a youngster up I grew, 

Saw one day a grand review, 

Colors flying set me dying 

To embark in a life so new. 

Chorus. — Roll drums merrily march away, 
Soldiers glory lives in story, 
His laurels are green 
When his locks are grey, 
Then hurrah for the life of a soldier. 

Enlisted, to battle we march along, 

Courting danger to fear a stranger, 

The cannons beat time to the trumpeter's song, 

And made my heart a hero's, 

Charge our gallant leader cries, 

On like lions then we fly, 

Blood and thunder, foes knock under, 

Then hussah for victory. 

Chorus. — Roll drums merrily, &c. 

Who so merry as we in camp, 

Battle over live in clover, 

Care and their cronies are forced to tramp, 

When all are social pleasures. 

Then we laugh, we quaff, we sing, 

Time goes gaily on the wing. 

Smiles of beauty, sweeter duty, 

And each private is a king. 

Chorus. — Then roll drums merrily, &c. 



